Positive Effects Of Negative Load

If you've been following the NBA Finals, it's obvious that jumping ability is crucial to team sports performance. Not just when driving the net, but defending a downfield receiver, spiking a volleyball over the net or reaching to grab that barely over the fence hit. Fact is, jump performance is a valuable asset in a variety of athletic endeavors. A study published in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research tested the effectiveness of assisted jump training (aka: negative load) for promoting high-concentric movement jump speed.

Scientists recruited 7 elite volleyball players and had them train with a bungee system that provided 10kg of assistance when jumping. They trained 3 times a week for 5 weeks. Compared to players who trained normally jumping against their bodyweight, the negative load jumpers posted significantly better counter-movement vertical jumps and spike jumps.

True Strength Moment: While there are novel training techniques that don't stack up in terms of results, this strategy appears to improve jump performance over a relative short timeframe. Researchers theorized that negative loads help promote the development of leg extensor muscles. Whether or not that's the key to this system's success, it presents you with a great changeup to your regular routine. One that promises to be a lot of fun to try out.